Superhero Photo Challenge: Vintage look

Maybe it was the dress. Maybe it was her beautiful skin or her hair or her classic beauty. But there was something so old world about the shots I captured of Gypsy Girl Alex that day.  

As many of us post-process our images, we start to recognize when a shot lends itself to black and white or a more saturated Lomo look, or something even dreamier. This is one of my favorite parts of digital photography these days.... being able to decide what the shots wants to be even after the fact, or surprising myself by saving a mediocre shot with a bit of creative post-processing. 

Do you have any shots that have a special look to them now? Maybe a vintage wash was just the right thing, or a super saturation or a vignette? Show us your creative shots that surprised even you.

Superhero Photo Challenge: Dreamy interiors

I am manifesting a home. A dreamy house right here in my neighborhood... I have a detailed list of all the things our ideal place would have, and gorgeous light is one of them.

This shot was taken at our friend's cabin in Mendocino, California. It is rustic and way too cold in the winter, but it has the quirky charm I long for. The light is exquisite inside and the old details with the peely paint are so lovely. 

This week's challenge is to show us your dreamy interior, or perhaps its an image of someone else's you can link to. My personal favorite is Kelly Rae's home tour of her place in Seattle.

Superhero Photo Challenge: Glamorous

We did something very silly and fun in Oregon a few weeks ago.

On a creative retreat with an amazing group of women, we did a lot of wonderful things. We made beautiful meals, we took walks by the water, we painted, we laughed, we had spontaneous dance parties...And all the while we photographed each other a lot.

One night Tracey put on this incredible dress and I suddenly had a vision. We needed a white sheet, a couple of people to hold it up in front of the sun, and voila! I would transform Tracey Clark into a Vanity Fair model. I shot into the sun (again, with the white sheet behind her) and it created a dreamy, gauzy effect I just love. Doesn't she look beautiful?

This week's challenge is to try your hand at the glamorous. Sometimes a solid colored wall will do the trick, or a good prop like a boa or a cowboy hat might be all you need. Let's see your glam sisters!

Superhero Photo Challenge: Hair light

I don't normally get a "vision" for how I'm going to photograph my clients. Mostly, I take it as it comes. The light, the mood, the moment... it gets created very spontaneously and I don't have much of an agenda.

This session was different. I saw it fully formed in my mind several hours before: A vintage slip, magic hour sunshine, sexy, pretty, the golden light in Denise's curly hair, a wheaty field.... I was giddy at the thought and texted her from my walk along the Berkeley Marina.

Do you have a vintage slip? I'm thinking sexy, sexy magic hour sunshine... !

I didn't hear back from her for hours. Did she not get the text? Did she not like the idea? Was that whole sexy undergarment thing inappropriate? I was immediately embarrassed that I had asked. I called her to check in and heard someone else's voicemail entirely. I was confused until I realized I had been texting the wrong Denise! 

omg. 

We all had a good laugh about it, and it turns out Denise brought a sexy little slip dress anyway. My vision was realized! 

For this week's photo challenge, venture out at the magic hour (this shoot was done at about 6:30pm) and get that glowy light behind your subject's head. Meter for their face so they are not in silhouette and witness the gorgeous halo of light in their hair. It is something else.

Superhero Photo Challenge: Bathroom portrait

I'm still a kid in certain ways. I get bored during certain "adult" type conversations and have to take a little break, go to the bathroom or entertain myself with some other activity. The camera is a great tool for this.

This very thing happened last week in Chicago. I was on a boat tour with a friend where we were learning about the architecture of the great buildings of Chicago. It was lovely and even interesting, but by the end, I was bored and tired of sitting and baking in the sun. So I did what all responsible adults do, I took myself to the bathroom and entertained myself with mirror portraits.

Please people, tell me you do this too?

At least give it a try. Bathrooms are one of life's greatest little portrait studios. Let's see what you've got.